Conventionally, there are methods of realizing a network copy function, in which an image is read by a scanner connected to a network and printed by an arbitrary printer, through a simple operation similar to that of an integrated-type copier. For example, many methods have been realized in which a single virtual device is constituted by an input device such as a scanner or a digital camera and an output device such as a printer or a facsimile apparatus connected to each other via a communication medium.
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-47771, a system in which input devices and output devices are connected to each other via a communication medium decides and notifies a system user of a function constituted by a combination of an input device and an output device.
In addition, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-187573 provides a multifunctional system enabling a desired function to be set on a network with ease, and a method for setting a function thereof.
However, even with a virtual device such as described above, there are situations where a user wishes to cancel a job input by himself/herself in the same manner as a conventional device.
In such a case, canceling a job to be processed by a virtual device conceivably involves constantly monitoring which actual device the job is being processed at. However, processing for constantly monitoring job statuses of all virtual devices becomes complicated.
In addition, although there are methods to issue a job cancel instruction to all actual devices constituting a virtual device without having to perform status monitoring, the cancel instruction ends up being transmitted even to actual devices not processing the job, resulting in the creation of unnecessary traffic.
Furthermore, there is a problem in that a job of a virtual device can be cancelled only by the actual device processing the job.